MLB News

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn (illness) was placed on the 10-day Injured List on Friday, retroactive to Tuesday. Before Friday's game, Vaughn had been sidelined for four straight games due to a lingering illness. The Brewers decided to place him on the shelf now, so Vaughn will be eligible to return before the postseason on October 3. This season, Vaughn slashed .306/.390/.444 with six home runs and 43 RBI across 331 plate appearances. In a corresponding move, outfielder Brandon Lockridge has been recalled to give the Brewers a fresh body for the final few games of the regular season.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Corbin Burnes (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day Injured List on Friday. Burnes was expected to make his final start of the season on Sunday, but instead, he'll go to the shelf due to right shoulder inflammation. Burnes only made three starts this season as he missed most of the year while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He was lit up for a 7.84 ERA and 1.55 WHIP across his 10.1 innings of work this season. The D-Backs still have a chance to make the postseason, so there's a chance that Burnes can contribute in October. His regular season is over, and it's unclear what exactly fantasy managers should expect out of Burnes next season.

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson (foot) was forced to make an early exit during Friday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Marc Topkin reports. Simpson sustained an injury after fouling a ball off his foot in the sixth inning. He attempted to stay in the game, but he was pulled in the seventh inning. He was hitless during his three plate appearances during the victory over the Phillies. The expectation is that he'll undergo imaging to determine the severity of the injury. For now, Simpson should be considered day-to-day until more information is known.

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (hand) was removed from Friday's game against the Minnesota Twins. Jung was taken out of the game after getting hit by a pitch on the hand, Kennedi Landry reports. He remained in the game to run the bases and play the field, but Jung was removed for a pinch-hitter once his spot in the batting order came up again. Before being removed, Jung went hitless with a run scored. The assumption is that Jung will undergo X-rays to determine the severity of the injury. Cody Freeman would likely see more starts at third base if Jung is forced to miss any time. Fantasy managers should check back on Saturday for another update on Jung.

Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Andres Munoz (knee) was placed on the 15-day Injured List on Friday, Ryan Divish reports. Munoz hasn't pitched since Sunday, and now goes to the shelf due to right knee inflammation. His inconsistent 2026 season will now come to an end with a few games left in the regular season. He'll finish the season with a 4.24 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and an 89/24 K/BB ratio with 28 saves across 57.2 innings of work. The expectation is that Jose A. Ferrer and Seranthony Dominguez will work in save situations over the final few days of the regular season. Fantasy managers should expect Munoz to be back in the closer role and fully healthy for the start of next season.

Miami Marlins middle infielder Xavier Edwards (thumb) remains out of the starting nine for Friday's series opener at home against the division-rival Atlanta Braves, per MLB.com. Jared Serna will make another start at second base for the Fish and will hit in the nine-hole against Braves left-hander Ray Kerr. This will be Edwards' fifth straight missed game after he aggravated a left-thumb injury last Saturday against the San Diego Padres. The Marlins have not rushed the 27-year-old back after being eliminated from playoff contention. At this point, he only has two more chances to return before the end of the regular season on Saturday and Sunday against Atlanta. The switch-hitting middle infielder was having a second straight solid season for the Fish this year, slashing .280/.360/.371 with a .730 OPS, a career-high six home runs, 52 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and 61 runs scored across 142 games and 595 plate appearances. You are not going to get any power from Edwards, but he remains useful for his speed and contact-oriented approach at the dish in fantasy leagues.

Philadelphia Phillies infielder Luis Arraez (ankle) is out of the team's starting lineup on Friday against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays, and the report on his ankle injury from Thursday night is "not a great one," interim manager Don Mattingly told Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Mattingly did not give a grade on the sprain, and the Phillies have not decided on an injured-list placement, which would take Arraez out until at least Oct. 5, or around Game 3 of the divisional round. X-rays on Arraez's left ankle came back negative on Thursday night, but his sprained ankle is still stiff and sore, which is why he will not play on Friday. Bryson Stott is at second base and batting fifth on Friday, with Edmundo Sosa at third base and hitting ninth against Rays right-hander Freddy Peralta. The Phillies would obviously love to avoid putting the 29-year-old All-Star on the IL, but if he cannot play at all this weekend, they might have no choice. The four-time All-Star and three-time batting champion has hit only .278 (49-for-176) in his 46 games with the Phillies this year after being traded from the San Francisco Giants in early August, but he is still the league's leading hitter at .310 overall. Not having Arraez available next week for the start of the playoffs (if the Phillies qualify) would be a big loss for Philadelphia.

Detroit Tigers new top outfield prospect Zyhir Hope showed off plenty of promise with Double-A Erie following his trade from the Dodgers in the Tarik Skubal deal. Hope was the headline piece coming back to Detroit after dealing away their ace, and he proved his potential with a massive minor-league season at the Double-A level between the Dodgers and Tigers. The 21-year-old left-handed hitter combined to hit .287 with 29 homers and 111 RBI to go with 86 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. Hope has a 50-grade hit tool with 60-grade power and 55-grade speed. The future is bright for Hope, and he could make his debut with the Tigers in 2027. Expect the five-category skills Hope has shown in the minors to translate to the big leagues, making him a great target for fantasy managers as soon as next season.

Washington Nationals left-hander Connelly Early (elbow) threw 40 pitches across 1 2/3 innings with Triple-A Rochester on Sept. 20 and will come off the 60-day injured list to make one more start this season this weekend against the division-rival New York Mets, according to MLB.com. Early landed on the injured list on July 1 and was moved to the 60-day IL on Aug. 22 due to inflammation in his left elbow. It will be his first start with the Nationals after the team acquired him from the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline in early August. In his 17 starts (91 2/3 innings pitched) for the BoSox this year in his second season in the big leagues, Early went 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA (4.60 FIP) and 1.25 WHIP with 93 strikeouts and 34 walks. He had a 2.33 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in a smaller sample size of only four starts in his first taste of the big leagues near the end of the 2025 campaign. Early, a fifth-rounder from Virginia in 2023, is one of the more intriguing young lefty arms in baseball, but he will be far too risky in starting fantasy lineups with championships on the line this weekend against New York after his long injury layoff. UPDATE: Early will make his Nationals debut on Saturday.

Detroit Tigers catcher prospect Josue Briceno overcame wrist surgery and battled a late ankle injury in what was an injury-plagued age 22 minor league season. Briceno combined between four minor-league levels in 2026 to combine for a .250 batting average with nine homers and 29 RBI and 23 runs in 42 total games. Briceno played 15 games at Triple-A Toledo and hit just .196 in a very small sample size. He hit .297 in 17 games at Double-A Erie prior to his call up to Toledo. Briceno is the No. 4 prospect of the Tigers and has a 50-grade hit tool with 60-grade power. The catcher position is in good shape in Detroit with All-Star Dillon Dingler and Eduardo Valencia. Briceno is a power bat with limited speed that could potentially shift to first base or find a spot at DH if needed, but he is still a big part of the future plans for Tigers brass and could make a 2027 debut.

Tampa Bay Rays first base prospect Xavier Isaac had a good minor league season at age 22 and closed it off well with a good stint at Triple-A Durham. Called up to Durham from Double-A Montgomery on August 25, Isaac played 18 games with the Durham Bulls down the stretch. He finished that stint with three homers and eight RBI in 59 at bats with a .271 batting average and 11 runs scored. Altogether between Montgomery and Durham, Isaac combined to hit .258 with 27 homers and 79 RBI to go with 20 stolen bases and 88 runs scored. Isaac is the No. 18 prospect in the Rays system and looks like he could be ready for a role on the 2027 Rays team. Isaac appears to be a promising talent with 60-grade power, but just a 35-grade hit tool. He could be a good homer and RBI threat but leave something to be desired in the batting average category.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hand) is out of the starting lineup yet again for Game 1 of a doubleheader on Friday against the visiting Chicago Cubs at Fenway Park, according to MLB.com. On Thursday night, a week after he was hit on the knuckle between the ring finger and pinkie on his right hand, Contreras expressed concern about his availability for the start of the wild-card series in the American League next week. "I mean, it's really concerning," said Contreras. "But at the same time, I'm putting all my effort -- and everything I can do, I'm doing it. I don't know what else to say. I'm working hard with the trainers; the hand is slowly getting better. But I haven't been able to swing the last two days." If the Red Sox do not have Contreras, their best power hitter this season, it will be a big blow to their chances of making a deep postseason run. Before injuries struck this month, Contreras was having a career year in his first season with the team, slashing .276/.387/.518 with 27 home runs and 81 RBI in 129 games played. Andruw Monasterio is starting at first base for Game 1 on Friday and is hitting eighth against Cubs right-hander Clay Holmes.

Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman (face) is back in the starting lineup on Friday and will serve as the designated hitter and bat third in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox, per MLB.com. Bregman is back for the first time since he suffered multiple facial fractures on Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds when he was hit by a foul ball in the on-deck circle. Bregman did not need surgery, though, and he has been cleared to hit only in the series opener against his former team after the swelling around his left eye went down. The 32-year-old will now look to get his timing back down in the final weekend series of the regular season before the Cubs start a wild-card series in the playoffs next week. Bregman has bounced back in 2026 in his first year in Chicago with 26 home runs and 89 RBI while slashing .262/.352/.452 in 153 games. He also hit .296 (34-for-115) in 28 games in August and is currently hitting .295 (18-for-61) in 18 games in September. The Cubs are hoping Bregman can stay hot heading into the postseason next week.

Across 598 plate appearances in 2026, Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler is hitting .244/.304/.450 with 27 home runs, 89 RBI, and 71 runs scored. Overall, the 28-year-old has been one of the better power hitters and run producers at the catcher position in MLB this year. Dingler's strikeout rate is manageable at 22.9%, and he's posted solid barrel (10.0%) and hard-hit (42.7%) rates. However, Dingler's production has slowed down considerably in the second half of the season. After hitting just .173 across 113 plate appearances in August, Dingler has hit .203 with just one home run across his first 63 trips to the plate in September. Entering the final weekend of the regular season, fantasy managers may want to consider going away from Dingler.

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley has had a disappointing year in 2026, hitting .223/.294/.371 with 19 home runs, 72 RBI, 64 runs scored, and nine stolen bases. The 29-year-old has struck out in 31.6% of his plate appearances, his highest rate since his rookie year in 2019. While Riley's 12.4% barrel rate and 44.2% hard-hit rate remain above-average, they are a notch below the marks he posted on his way to three consecutive 30-homer, 90-RBI seasons from 2021 through 2023. Riley has been a bit better in the second half of the season, hitting .248 with 10 home runs across 233 plate appearances since the All-Star break. However, he's struggled to a .229 batting average with a 31.6% strikeout rate in September. Entering the final weekend of the 2026 season, Riley remains a middling third base option for fantasy managers.

Across 179 2/3 innings (31 starts), New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean has recorded a 12-10 record with a 3.16 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 194 strikeouts. The 25-year-old has emerged as one of the more exciting young arms in MLB, averaging 96.1 miles per hour on his fastball and logging a 26.0% strikeout rate. McLean has also gotten stronger in the second half of the season, logging a 2.61 ERA across 72 1/3 innings since the All-Star break. He's allowed two earned runs or fewer in eight out of his last nine outings and has pitched at least six innings in 14 out of his last 16 starts. Heading into 2027, McLean profiles as a high-end starting pitcher option for fantasy managers.

Atlanta Braves left-hander Martin Perez (back) has been placed on the 10-day injured list with lower back inflammation, per Jesus Cano of The Athletic. While Perez could technically return in the middle of the National League Division Series, Braves manager Walt Weiss has already said that the veteran left-hander will likely not be available unless the team makes it to the National League Championship Series. Perez had a surprisingly excellent season for Atlanta in 2026, recording a 9-9 record with a 3.04 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 102 strikeouts across 142 innings (30 games). The 35-year-old's 17.1% strikeout rate limits his fantasy value, but he's been a quality innings eater who likely would have played a role in the Braves' playoff rotation. Without Perez, Braves right-handers Tyler Mahle, Grant Holmes, and JR Ritchie profile as the team's top arms behind ace Chris Sale.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hand) said he is still experiencing pain when swinging and that he does not expect to return to his team's lineup on Friday, per Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. Contreras has not played since September 17 after being hit by a pitch on his right hand. X-rays on the hand have come back negative, but the playoff-bound Red Sox have little incentive to force Contreras back out onto the field for their final few games of the regular season. The 34-year-old is a critical piece of the team's lineup, as he's hit .276/.387/.518 with 27 home runs, 81 RBI, 68 runs scored, and three stolen bases. Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, fantasy managers may be forced to leave Contreras on their bench.

Philadelphia Phillies infielder Luis Arraez (ankle) suffered a sprained left ankle in Thursday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Phillies say that he will be evaluated further, according to Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Arraez tried to avoid being tagged on a ground ball in the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park and should now be considered day-to-day until we have more details. Before leaving, Arraez went 0-for-3 at the plate. Bryson Stott moved from third base to second, with Edmundo Sosa entering the contest to take over at the hot corner in Philly. If Arraez misses time going into the final weekend of the regular season, Sosa would likely continue to start at third for the Phillies, with Stott sticking at the keystone. The 29-year-old Arraez came into Thursday's action hitting .283/.314/.376 with two homers and 21 RBI in 45 games since the Phils acquired him in a deadline deal with the San Francisco Giants. The four-time All-Star and three-time batting champion would be a big loss for the Phillies if they advance to the postseason and he cannot make it back for the start of the wild-card series next week. Overall, Arraez came into Thursday with a league-high .312 batting average, looking to win his fourth batting title.

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (wrist) is starting at shortstop and batting leadoff for the Astros on Thursday night against the division-rival Athletics and right-hander Mason Barnett, according to MLB.com. Pena was hit by a pitch on his wrist on Tuesday against the A's and was held out as a result on Wednesday, but he is back in action for the series finale in Sacramento as the Astros try to keep pace with the Texas Rangers for the lead in the American League West division. It is great news for Houston as they look to punch their ticket to the postseason in the final week of the 2026 regular season. It would be an understatement to say that Pena has been banged up with injuries this year, but he has done well at the plate when he has been available for the 'Stros, slashing .275/.325/.469 with a .795 OPS, 20 home runs, 51 RBI, 77 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across his 426 at-bats. Pena has gotten hot lately, too, hitting .367 with three home runs in his last 30 at-bats.